Mine-sweeping rope



Patented' May 31, 1927.

UNITED sTATas PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES FORREST HOWE, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERI-CAN STEEL AND WIRE COMPANY OF NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MINE-SWEEPING ROPE.

Application led November 5, 1925. Serial No. 66,975.

This invention relates to wire cables or operations, and has for one ofits objects' thel provision of an improved cable of this class whichwill have greater strength and a longer cutting life than cablesheretofore provided for the same purpose. l

Another object is to provide a cable or rope having the novelconstruction, design and combination of parts hereinafter described andillustrated in the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan of asection of cable constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional elevation.

ings, the cable is esignated as a Whole by the letter A, and is composedof alternately arranged cutting and supporting strands 2 and 3 laid upspirally around a core strand 4.

The supporting strands 3 are shown as composed of seven wires 5, and allthe wires of each strand are of the same diameter.

It will be understood, however', that I do not Wish to be limited to thespecific construction of the supporting strands 3, since any well knowncable or rope construction may be used for these strands which serve tosupport the cutting strands 2 and are of a materially less diameter thanthe strands 2.

The cutting strands 2 are composed of seven wires consisting of acoremember 6, which may be composed of wire or hemp, and alternatesupporting Wires 7 and cutting Wires 8. The cutting wires 8 are ofmaterially larger diameter than the core and lsupporting Wires and thecore 6 is of materially larger diameter than the supporting wires 7. Thealternating supporting and cuttin wires 7 and 8, respectively, Vare laidaroun the core 6 in a spiral fashion after the well known method oflaying up cables, and due to the difference in diameter of thesupporting and cutting wires the cutting wires will project beyond thesupporting wires so as to present high points to act as cuttingelements. The projection of the cutting wires beyond the supportingwires also serves tol protect the supporting Wires from Wear, therebyincreasing the life of the strand.

Referring more artieularly to the draw The core strand A1- islpreferably of a lesser diameter than the cuttlng strands 2 and of agreater diameter than the supporting strands 3, and is composed of sevenWires 9,

manner. v y

The supporting strands 3 and cutting strands 2, are laid up spirallyaround the core strand 4 in the usual manner and, due to the supportingstrands 3 being of less diameter than the cutting strands 2, the cuttingstrands will project materially beyond the supporting strands and thusprotect them from wear. y

It will'be understood that I do not Wish to be limited to the use of anall Wire cable or all Wire strands since, if desired, the core strandand core wires or any of them maybe composed of hemp or other suitablematerial.

It will also be understood that I do not Wish to be limited to thespecificl details such as the diameter of the core, number of wires /ina strand, particular lay ofthe wires and strands, and the like, sincesuch vdetails may be changed Without departing from lthe scope of myinvention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A wire rope for mine sweeping and the like operations, comprising aseries of relatively large diameter strands, a series of relativelysmall diameter strands, and a core strand, saidlarge diameter strandsalternating with said small diameter strands and'projecting'materiallybeyond said small diameter strands to form cutting elements.

2. A wire rope for mine sweeping and the like operations, comprising aseries of relatively large diameter strands, a series of relativelysmall diameter strands, and a core strand, said large diameter strandsalternating with said small diameter strands and'being composed of aplurality of alter'- vall of the same diameter, laid up in the usualnating large and small diameter wires laid spirally around a core so asto present a series of high cutting surfaces.

3. A' wire rope for mine sweeping and the llke operations, comprising aserles of relatively, large diameter strands, a series of relaf tivelysmall diameter strands, and a core strand, said large diameterstrandsalternatingwith said small diameter strands and being composed ofa plurality of alternating large and small diameter Wires laid spirallyaround a core so as to present a series of high cutting surfaces, andsaid large dia1neter wires being coniposed of a relatively hard steelsuitable for cutting mine cables' and the like. 4

4. A Wire rope for mine sweeping and the like operations comprising aplurality of cutting strands alternating with a plu- 10 rality 'ofsupporting strands, said cutting and supporting strands beingalternately arranged around a core strand, said cutting strandsprojecting outwardly beyond said supporting strands to protect saidsupport? ing strands from wear, and said cutting strands havingprojecting hard steel surfaces for cutting the mine cables or otherwork. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

JAMES FORREST 'H OVVE.

